her favorite

Most kids have a favorite stuffie, pillow, or blankie of some sort growing up, right.? If you thought really hard you could probably remember being attached to something that you HAD to have to go to sleep with & perhaps some of you are still hanging on to. Any mom knows what her child needs as part of the bed time routine & knows what it is like when the item is missing (lots of tears, and no going to sleep until it is found)

Does Sadie have a favorite? Well many may know because I tote it around or because it is in many pictures. Sadie has had a favorite blankie for quite sometime. It is a cute one made by a friend of mine, it has a soft fuzzy crotched edge that is perfect to rub up against her face before closing her eyes.

What you may not know is that lately she is obsessed and finds comfort in holding a spoon in her hand. Some my think this is lame, absurd, weird, funny, peculiar that I am writing this. I definitely think it is a little odd. But I'm not kidding she gets the baby death grip on a little plastic spoon and refuses to let go. So since I noticed this I took a few pictures of her in action. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Correct and proper use of the spoon here

getting ready for bed spoon in hand

crawling around with my spoon

spoon going for a bath

nothing better than a sleeping baby ... with a spoon in hand

good morning mom.. don't worry I got my spoon in hand alreadyI didn't even notice it her, but it looks like Alli swiped her spoon making her a tad upset.

As seen in the pictures its not one particular spoon she is attached to it can usually be changed at meal time. Anyways she is our little spoon girl for now.

On another note the other day I was out doing a few errands with Sadie. As I was approaching the door to leave the building a man rushed over and said, "let me make your life easier." he proceeded to open both doors and let Sadie & I through (I was pushing her in her stroller). I of course thanked him. Then I thought hmmmm what would I really like to make my life easier, it may change daily but today I would choose an in house chef.. how great would that be. What would make your life easier? A maid, nanny, errand runner, taxi, baker, masseuse, or do you love every single aspect of your busy little day and have enough time for it all without losing your cool ever?

She's 1!

Yep my baby is 1! Part of me can't believe it, was it a whole year ago I was walking around with my big ol belly and then the dr. said lets induce you on Saturday or Sunday & I was like Sunday 1 more day I'm not ready yet. Then Sadie came early Saturday anyway. Then there is part of me that is like yep sure feels like a year. We definitely can't imagine our life without her....

Wow the birthday girl showing some excitement.

Checking out the dream car

Grandpa Steeds surprise visit, he just had to see her all grown up

Huh what its my birthday? Yeah Sadie didn't really care for the cake which is unfortunate I made 3! She poked at them and finally took a bite and ate some ice cream.

Anyway we sure did party for this girl. It all began on Saturday when her Nana & Grandpa Tilleman came up to kick off her b-day celebration. She was spoiled with presents, we took a trip out to Ryan's Uncles farm. Where it became apparent that both Ryan & I aren't real animal lovers and she is turning out the same so far. We've given her a chance to see little pets and big ones too but she looks and then holds onto us real tight. Well I am not gonna force that. We went out to eat and came back for some birthday cupcakes.


On Monday my mom, Lindsay and her kids came up to celebrate. Rhonda brought her kids over it was a real PARTAY! I won't lie I am not used to having many kids in my house but I LOVED it. It was all the things you would imagine crazy, loud, screaming, laughing and FUN. We are so glad that you all made it.
Thanks to Lindsay, Rhonda & me for making the cake. way to go team. Oh and Lucy & Alli

This is us stalling while we were waiting for Ryan to walk in the door, the girls kept saying Happy Birthday Sadie, hoping it would get them cake sooner.

The 3 girl grand kids. Aren't they just the cutest. Alli & Lucy both turn 3 next month, so they are all about the birthdays

Sadie & James kind of sitting still for just a second.

A few things I will remember about "baby" Sadie
she was such a good eater.
she was a horrible sleeper
loves to be busy with her toys
can be content to sit and play with toys
was bald
went a lot of places
loved the water
gives a cheesy smile, nose crinkle and all
watches t.v
was a momma's girl
thats all for now
We Love our Sweet little Sadie Jane
HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!

LOVING the FALL

Who isn't loving the fall. We have been trying to spend as much time outside as possible it is just so lovely(yes that is the kind of words you use to describe fall). It is simply delightful to go on walks to the park, swing on swings, slides, visit with friends, eat our picnics, go to the lake, let my kid get filthy, eat dirt, rocks, sand all because it is just too nice to resist.

Look its still shirts off weather.

She is loving the fall, she found the golden leaf.

I think she looks a little chubby here and I'm pretty sure I had her laughing

Sadie on the move, a whole new dirty world for her to discover on her hands and knees.

Yes fall is a time of reflection for us all. Sadie very deep in thought.

We went on a "nature walk" this morning & it turned it to quite the journey we ventured down to the river and back up (that was the hard part). Our walk included sounds of birds & bugs chirping, water rushing and splashes from rocks, we saw lots of grasshoppers, dragonflies, a snake, picked flowers, smelled some sweet peas (love them, more spring than fall but whatever), threw rocks, tasted rocks, tried to drink the river water, dipped our feet in the cold water, saw lots of leaves all changing colours, tickled our nose with wheat and long grass, climbed on the rocks and in the dirt and grass, we almost forgot we were in the city. It was so fun.
And I took a tutu and my camera so I took a zillion pictures of my little darling. There are so many that I think are so adorable, but I think this should more than satisfy any blog reader.

Taking pics of Sadie in the tutu and the fall totally reminded me of last fall in Edmonton when a bunch of us took fall pics of our kids and this was Sadie then.....

THEN it was lunch and Sadie is trying transition from baby food to more real foods and lately she just tosses everything I give her on the floor. SOOO today I did what I thought I would never do made and fed her a PBJ sandwich. I have nothing against any mom who does this multiple times a week for her own child. But I HATE peanut butter like you don't understand. I despise the odour, taste, creaminess or chunkiness, the lingering smell on your breath, but like so many other things that comes with being a MOM I"ll get over it ...

The results are in I'd say she LOVED it!

They are so messy and gooey. Am I going to have to bath my child after every meal?? Is that I sign that she totally and thoroughly enjoyed it? Independence is good but good but it comes at a price.

bit of everything

This post has no order because I couldn't move the pictures. Here is some of our randomness.

I had this great idea to take Sadies pictures outside while it was still nice, I took about 5 pictures and she was DONE.  Maybe I'll try it again later.

Here is Sadie's own version of Rockband while I am trying to make supper. I only wish it would've kept her attention a little longer.

We are trying to make the most of the nice days.  I savor these hot days even more because I just never know when they will be gone.  So off to the parks in our neighborhood, I just found a new one last week.

Bath time

Sadie's is almost 1 what do ya think should i get her some rogaine for babies 

Last weekend our church had a little retreat for the women it was fun to have a night away and get to know some of the girls in the ward.  AND it was so great to be baby free.  Sadie spent the night at my parents. I think Sadie & I both needed the break from each other, in a good way.  Yeah for my mom who has yet to turn down her grand kids, and trust me they have kept her busy this summer. I love that she loves it.  I think Sadie had fun she had all her cousins there how fun!

Back to the retreat we had a little fireside based on a talk to escape the superwoman syndrome.  I think it is safe to say I do not suffer from this right now,  but I can imagine there will be times in my life where I may be more susceptible to this so I guess its good to be aware and prepare. I can see how easy it is to get caught up in as we start to feel like "you can have it all; you can do it all: you can be it all: and you should because these things are all good. " If you can't you feel guilty.  Anyways I hope that I can just always do my best and avoid this overwhelming feeling of trying to do it all.  

"More is not necessarily better , and most is not always best.  Best may be doing a few things well rather than many things in a mediocre manner."    So it i okay to say NO... sometimes.

life goes on

Looks like our summer of fun is over and fall is right around the corner. Normally September is full of changes and fresh starts... but this year is the first year I am not going back to school as a student or teacher..weird. (including all my grade school years I was going to school for 22 years straight.) But I guess I always knew & wanted the day to come. Ryan isn't going back to school either, I'm sure if I asked him he wouldn't argue that the hours & freedom of a student is definitely better, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't trade it. On with our lives. Our life of course is full of changes and this fall the change is no change...really. Which is exciting and good for now. So here is some of our everyday life, which revolves around Sadie

before lowering her crib (hoping she won't stand up in it after)

She's still standing...

when she should be sleeping, but who could resist?
It's was of course funny and cute the first time, but when it becomes routine... not so cute.

Here she is cruising along the couch

I LOVE ME

Sadie her own best friend.

So this is a 1st for Sadie. So I have to give the play by play. Mostly because I took enough pictures of the event, so why not?

ALL BY MY SELF

Yeah! A spoon of my own, I know just what to do.

hmm this is harder than I thought

I think I'll use my own hands

or maybe if I dive right in I will get more

this is a little less akward slurp slurp

uhh mom some help, I'm still hungry.
ah

I'm ALL DONE Pleeeassse take me straight to the bath.